Fluid pressure device for cleaning rifled gun bores and chambers



y 1, 1952 M. R. DYER 2,601,691

FLUID PRESSURE DEVICE FOR CLEANING RIFLED GUN BORES AND CHAMBERS Filed Dec. 3, 1948 INVENTOR MAR/0N R. DYER XQGM ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1952 FLUID PRESSURE DEVICE FOR CLEANING RIFLED GUN BORES AND CHAMBERS Marion R. Dyer, Washington, D. C.

Application December 3, 1948, Serial No. 63,422

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 751

This invention relates to improvements in tube cleaning apparatus and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for cleaning gun barrels.

One of the problems which has confronted the Navy for the past number of years has been the development of a low cost, rapid, safe and efficient method and apparatus for removing oils, greases or heavy coatings of viscous compounds from the bore (rifiing lands and grooves) and chamber (chamber and band slope) surfaces of guns ranging in size from 3/50 caliber to 16/50 caliber. These oils, greases or compounds are applied to these surfaces for protection against corrosion and must be removed to return the gun to service.

It was observed in tests leading to the present invention that a good fast solvent for the preservative should not be used since rapid evaporation of the solvent cleans the surface of all protective film and corrosion starts almost immediately after the gun has been cleaned. Accordingly, it was realized that cleaning must be accomplished through the utilization of less volatile fluids, and that improved cleaning implements must be developed.

A tubular mandrel having a longitudinal bore and a plurality of radial brushes spaced apart longitudinally of the mandrel had been proposed by the prior art for cleaning gun barrels by passing a solvent, e. g., steam, through the longitudinal bore and out through radial openings formed in the mandrel between the brushes (of. U. S. Patent No. 2,367,900). This apparatus while effective in cleaning smooth bores is inefficient in the cleaning of rifled bores because the fluid solvent, e. g., diesel fuel oil, under high pressure is free to escape through the bristles of the brushes leaving the rifiing rooves uncleaned. It was discovered that much more rapid and efiicient cleaning could be accomplished by sealing oif the volume of the bore between the brushes so that the only escape path for the cleaning fluid would be through the rifling rooves.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a cleaner for gun bores that efiectively traps high pressure fluid within the region of the gun bore sealed off by the cleaner thereby directing the high pressure fluid through the rifling grooves as the cleaner is moved lonitudinally of the bore.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cleaner for a gun bore that will effect a rapid and efficient removal of oils, greases or heavy coatings of viscous compounds from the bore surfaces (rifling lands and grooves), the chamber surfaces and the band slope surfaces of guns ranging in size from 3"/50 caliber to l6"/50 caliber.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational perspective view of the improved cleaner of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectionalized elevational view; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 33 of Fig. 2.

The cleaning device comprises a mandrel formed of a pipe 3 and rod 28 upon which is supported the central orifice or nozzle head I5. As illustrated, this orifice head is equipped with twelve demountable nozzles I6. These nozzles may be constructed, for example, from ,4 pipe plugs each having a 1%" diameter hole drilled through their respective centers. It is to be noted that the nozzles are constructed in this manner in order to facilitate the cleaning of the interior of the orifice head in the event of its being clogged with foreign matter. Also, with this construction, it is possible to vary the size of the orifice whenever necessary, merely by substituting new pipe plugs with either larger or smaller holes drilled through their respective centers. In the embodiment illustrated six of the demountable nozzles [6a are equally spaced around the circumference of the orifice head 15 at one of its 'ends, while the remaining six nozzles I612, although equally spaced around the circumference of the orifice head at its other end, are alternately spaced with respect to the first six nozzles. All of the nozzles are inclined at an angle of degrees with the longitudinal axis of the orifice head in order to secure impingement of the high velocity streams of solvent at the inner edges of the spiral brush assemblies l2 and I9.

As illustrated in Fig. 2' the mandrel consists of the central orifice head [5 which has the pipe 3 and tie rod 28 secured to its opposite ends along its longitudinal axis by threading and/or brazing for example and constitutes a rigid member on which the remaining components of the assembly may be mounted. The pipe 3 serves not only as a member upon which to mount other components, but also functions to direct the cleaning solvent under pressure into the cavity of the orifice head from whence it is discharged through the demountable nozzles. Assembled on the tie rod 28 adjacent to the orifice head is a brush unit body l8 comprised of a preferably wooden cylinder upon which the spiral bristles l9 are mounted and held in assembled relation by means of the separators 20 and the end clamp H and 2|. The end clamps I! and 2| may be held to the body [8 by means of a wood screw 3!], for example. These clamps prevent rela tive rotation of the body and brush assembly.

In order that the end of the cleaning tool sup.- porting the bristle brush [9 may be sealed within the gun bore, there is supported on the rod 28 a flexible stopper 23. This stopper is preferably formed of rubber and is backed up by means of the disc 22 and centering plug 2 3. The bristle brush unit and the bore sealing stopper assembly are all non-rotatably secured on the tie rod 28 by being held firmly between the face of the orifice head 15, the washer 25, backed up by the clevis 26 and the. nut 2.7. After being tightened this nut 21 may be se ur d. a inst. o emen by a cotter pin for example. The clevis bolt 29 serves to secure this end of the cleaner to one end of the cable on a bore-lapping machine.

A sec nd bris le brush unit. simi a t 18 i mounted on th p p 3. adj cen he o fic h a It. This r stle brush unit comp i es he pre er bly wooden spiral brush. supp rt ody II n which is mou t d a spiral brush. co istin of h b l 2. and the sep ra ors-l3- Mounted on each nd f he sp ral rus od i a secured to it by wood screws 3i! are the two assembly clamps Ill and [4. These clamps, prevent relative rotation of the brush [2 and body I l.

The bore is sealed 01f at this end of the cleaner by the rubberstopper 8 held between the retaining disc 9 and centering plug 1 by the clevis and the nut i. The nipple- I, connected to the pipe 3 by means of a reducing coupling 2,- serves as a means for connecting the pipe 3; to the source of high pressure cleaning fluid.

In the operation of the invention for cleaning gun bores the cleaner is connected to one end or a bore-lapping machine cable (not shown) by passing the clevis bolt vt through the thirnble end of the cable. A hose capable of withstanding high pressure as well as deteriorating etfects of the fluid solvent is connected to the nipple I and source of fluid. This hose is secured to the borelapping machine cable for a distanfle exceeding the length of the un bore to prevent it from dra n n th re u c as the cleaning device is reciprocated through the gun by the bore-lapping machine. The other end of; the cable of the bore-lappin machine is first; passed through the bore of the gun to, be cleaned and secured to the cleaner by clevis bolt 5.

It is important that the size of thebristle brushes [2 and i9, and the stopper discs8 and 23 be selected for the particular size of gun, so that the bristle and stopper or baflle disc snugly fit the bore or land diameter of the gun and that the stopping and reversing position of the cleaner with respect to the muzzle be earetully adjusted.

It was found in cleaning 5""/-3,8' caliber guns that best results were obtained when the borepp s a ne was a just d. to. stop and. re,- verse wit he cleanerin the b re nd the to pe di c 8 disp aced about one-half inch from the muzzle face. Thestop a justment at the other end was set so that app ximately one-half the both disc stoppers 8 of the above tea solvent to, remove anti-corrosive 4 spiral brush is was out of the gun at its breech end.

The snug fit within the bore of the rubber stoppers 8 and 23 is very important since these stoppers cause the fluid solvent to flow by its periphery through the rifling grooves at high velocity. It is this high velocity flow of solvent past the stoppers, coupled with the brushing action of the bristles in contact with a continually changing supply of solvent, that keeps the bristles clean at all times. Moreover, the scraping action ofthe stoppers aids also in the cleaning operation. The high velocity flow of solvent in its escape past the stoppers not only removes the major portion of the preservative in the ri'fiing grooves, but also removes any preservative that is collected on the leading faces of the stoppers as the cleaner is stroked back and forth through the gun bore. The brushes serve not only to clean the remainder of the compound from the rifiing grooves and to complete the cleaning of-the lands but also to-rotate the device as it passes through the bore. Further cleaning is effected both in the chamber and bore by the washing action of the solvent as it flows, from both ends of the gun. Further, as the cleaner begins its stroke, for example, from the muzzle end, the solvent already collected ahead of the disc stopper 23 is given added impetus by the moving cleaner device thus aiding the cleaning of the bore and chamber surfaces by this faster moving how of solvent. It should also be noted that the solvent escapes with high velocity past and 23 and therefore bore cleaning is efiected simultaneously at each stop.- per regardless of the direction of travel of said cleaning device. It is also believed that theturbulent solvent entrapped in the chamber between the stoppers l3 and 23 not only materially serves to. keep the brushes clean, but also aids in the cleaning of the bore surfaces. The turbulence is achieved by the arrangement of the nozzles 16a and [3b in the orifice head 1.5.

The gun chamber is of a diameter larger than the bore, but is effectively cleaned, nevertheless, by the method and device described herein. It is believed the sudden release of the high pressure solvent entrapped between the stoppers '8 and 23 at e ns a t t e eading s opp ("2' 1 enters th larger chamber effectively contributes to the e i f the c am r- Fu thercleanins of the chamber is of course achievedby the arrangement of no l s produ in the hi h velocity str s of Olven dire ion havin acomp ne t al ne t e ax s f the b re- Qb i s y any mod fications and variations o e pr sen inve ion are p ssible. in the light i s. Lt; therefore, to be understood. hat Within the. scope or the appended a ms the ion m y be practiced otherwise hanas .allyd scribed.

The invention herein described may be manutacturecl and used by and for the Government of the United states of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties t reo r therefor.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device for use with fiuid cleaning materials from nfled u ibores. and adapted tobe'moved axially in the bore comprising a central orifice h eadia tubular support for said headextendingonoppos te Sides. thereof .to. forma fluid passage to said head, first and second spiral brushes mounted o said support one on each side of "said head,

in the direction of the first brush, and the other set of nozzles being axially inclined in the direction of the second brush whereby a high velocity discharge of fluid cleaning solvent entrapped between said flexible stopper means will be effected at the rifle grooves when said fluid is applied from a high pressure source to said head and nozzles through said tubular member.

2. A cleaning device for use with fluid cleaning solvent to remove anti-corrosive materials from rifled gun bores and adapted to be moved axially in the bore comprising a central orifice head, a tubular support for said head extending on opposite sides thereof to form a fluid passage to said head, a pair of spiral brushes mounted on said support one on each side of said head, flexible stopper means having a diameter slightly in excess of the land diameter of said bore secured to said support one on the side of each brush opposite said head; at least two sets of nozzles on said head in fluid communication with said tubular member, each set including a plurality of nozzles circuniferentially spaced about the head, said nozzles/being generally radially disposed with one set being-axially inclined in the direction 01 one brush andljanother set being so disposed with relation to the other brush. whereby a high velocity discharge-oi fluid cleaning solvent entrapped between said flexible stopper means will be effected at the rifle grooves when said fluid is applied troma high pressure source to said head and nozzles through said tubular member.

j MARION R. DYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are or record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

